The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary » Maurice Claretthttp://thebuckeyebattlecry.com
An Ohio State blog for the Buckeye fan in all of us.Tue, 03 Mar 2015 18:26:05 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.0.1Silver Bullet Points Goes Trophy Huntinghttp://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/silver-bullet-points-goes-trophy-hunting.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=silver-bullet-points-goes-trophy-hunting
http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/silver-bullet-points-goes-trophy-hunting.html#commentsThu, 05 Dec 2013 12:54:58 +0000http://www.thebuckeyebattlecry.com/?p=41056We’re in uncharted waters here… it’s really an odd feeling to have a game after THE GAME. If you’re heading to the game, be sure to check out a great blues bar downtown… these guys are playing this weekend! Buckeye 411 Meaningful Awards- Clair gave you the lowdown on the All Conference awards on Tuesday […]

Meaningful Awards- Clair gave you the lowdown on the All Conference awards on Tuesday morning; later that afternoon, the Offensive, Defensive, Freshman, and Coach of the Year accolades were handed out. Braxton repeated as the Offensive Player of the year, while Shazier was snubbed for Defensive POTY to Wisconsin’s Borland. The annual “Exceeded Expectations” award for Coach of the Year went to Michigan State’s Mark Dantonio. I actually don’t disagree with this, and am happy for ‘Dino, but am wondering if a Buckeye Coach will ever win this award- Cooper didn’t, Tressel didn’t, and now Meyer hasn’t after two undefeated seasons.

Got You Covered- Hey, if you happen to see a copy of this week’s Sports Illustrated at the store, can you pick one up for me? It’s Braxton’s third cover, and even it’s a regional one, it’s still pretty awesome (note: I retract that comment if the SI Jinx bites OSU on Saturday). Best part of the cover, as the guys at Eleven Warriors pointed out- Braxton is wearing his gold pants in The Game. Like a Boss.

Got You Covered, Part Two- If you’re headed to Indy, here’s what’s waiting for you for what I’m sure will be a fair price. tBBC’s Patrick will be on scene covering the festivities, and our friend Janelle will be there as a part of her internship as well. Stay tuned!

It Ain’t Braggin’- Speaking of the B1GCG, the matchup with Michigan State is going to be spectacular, and the Spartans are ready for it. I’ve joked with friends that one of the things that worries me about this is that OSU has been preparing all season to win a national title while MSU has been focused specifically on beating Buckeyes. You can hear some of that in quotes from the defensive backs, calling for a “no fly zone” and saying that any ball in the air belongs to them. Connor Cook also mentioned on Monday that watching the Michigan games made him excited to play the Buckeyes, and that he’d be “licking his chops” at thinking about going against the tarnished Silver Bullets. This season, the Spartans have certainly backed it up with excellent play on the field… like I said, this is going to be a spectacular matchup.

Not Convinced? Just watch this:

NCAA News And Notes

Damned Lies And Statistics: Pretty interesting research database from the Knight Commission this week, allowing folks to take a look at the spending involved at their favorite academic and athletic institutions. While we know that the money spent on football at places like Ohio State and Texas is pretty astounding, to see the numbers juxtaposed against dollars spent on the “average” student (many paying tuition, all key parts of the institutional mission) is pretty telling. You can look to see how your school does compared with others in the conference and across FBS… again, interesting for those of us who are trying to make sense of it all.

On one hand, I’m an Ohio State graduate. Anyone from Auburn, because they don’t know me, would rightly have a difficult time rationalizing my vote as impartial.

From another angle, I think that any unbeaten team from a major conference is preferable over a team that has lost. But is that rational? Even though R.J. Bell of Pregame.com estimated yesterday that OSU would be a 2-point favorite over Auburn, wouldn’t many of us disagree and make the Tigers a slight favorite? I would.

But how about this? I’m just gonna come out and say it because it’s the truth: I’m fed up with the SEC. I’m tired of Southerners who don’t care about anything but football, who can’t take care of their own poor, fat, litter-strewn, illiterate states, telling me the way it should be – about anything. And I’m tired of them crowing about their seven straight national titles. I want to see them suffer a little. How’s that for full disclosure?

Now, is that right? I’m admitting straight up I have a smoldering bias against Dixie and America’s best college football conference.

Big Wednesday? The twitters and intertrons were buzzing last night with rumors that Nick Saban had agreed to be the next head coach at Texas, something that’s been speculated about for the duration of this year. Could UT be waiting for the Baylor game to conclude before making this announcement, as Ohio State did with Urban Meyer and The Game? Or is this yet another part of the amazing carousel that always spins this time of year? Stay tuned…

Whoopsie…

Speaking Of ‘Bama- Florida State’s bookstore has some interesting new threads…

Big Thursday- Thursday, there will be a press conference regarding the Jameis Winston investigation, and you’ve got to think that this is positive news for the Seminole QB and Heisman frontrunner- you don’t call press conferences to arrest someone. I’ll be interested to see if Ohio State fans will give the same benefit of the doubt to Winston that they wanted given to Carlos Hyde earlier in the season. Admittedly, the two situations are quite different, but as fans we all tend to want “fairness” that benefits our favorite programs.

Familiar Faces- The coaching moves has started, with Washington’s Sarkisian headed back to LA to lead the Trojan program he was a part of under Pete Carroll. While this move is somewhat surprising, most Southern Cal fans seem to be most stunned by interim coach Orgeron’s resignation and departure from the program. With these moves, Washington leadership was rumored to be talking with UCLA’s Jim Mora; instead, he signed an extension to stay in Westwood. The Huskies now allegedly have turned to Boise State’s Chris Peterson and Alabama offensive coordinator Doug Mussmeier.

]]>Well, it’s certainly been an… interesting… day as far as news goes. But before we dive into the dregs of college sports (and those who “oversee” it), let’s enjoy the fact that it’s finally FOOTBAW! season. Here’s your “pump up”/palate cleanser before the season kicks off.

Buckeye 411

Captains, My Captains- Well, the news yesterday that Ohio State had named eight captains to start the season surely made Tom Bradford happy, although it did make the position seem a bit like the “everyone gets a trophy” phenomenon we see in youth soccer. My guess? Urban is looking to “spread the wealth” among several people since there’s no small group of standouts this season. At any rate, I’m ecstatic that Kenny Guiton will be getting the opportunity to lead, even as a “backup”. Smooth Jazz for everyone.

Wash It Down With Juice- Today, many lucky souls in the media got to experience the new food that will be enjoyed at the ‘Shoe this season. As you remember, the University ended their contract with Sodexho and is going a bit more local with Levy Restaurants for their fan- fare. Marcus Hartman has great coverage of the reason that I hated him all day on Tuesday… wonder what this will mean for the fitness of the two ushers on our staff? Luckily we have a fitness guru to keep them in shape.

Injury Report- Coach Meyer said on Wednesday that Defensive Lineman Tommy Schutt will miss 6-8 weeks with a broken foot; “Mr. Adaptability” Chase Farris will return to the Defensive Front from his tenure with Coach Warriner. Schutt had been working in with the first team as practice progressed this fall- here’s wishing him a quick recovery.

Basket Bucks- The B1G Hoops schedule was released today, and you’ve got to think that students were less than happy. The Buckeyes will face Maryland before Finals week, and then host Michigan State while most of the Nuthouse is on Spring Break.

We’ve got a “love-hate” relationship with the World Wide Leader, as you well know… they have a monopoly on college broadcasting, but give us Beth Mowins. In addition, it’s significant to note that they are not interested in reporting the news/stories, but in making profit. Which isn’t a bad thing, but it’s an important factor to consider when evaluating their work. If it gains readers/viewers, it makes money, true or not.

We knew that ESPN would provide a great venue for us to continue the conversation about Johnny Manziel that weekend,” said Jason Cook, a Texas A&M athletics executive.

The Times gets more specific in showing how Louisville, this year’s BCS Champion darkhorse (led by Heisman Candidate Teddy Bridgewater), owes the entirety of their program’s success to their willingness to jump whenever ESPN beckoned. Fantastic article if only for the reminder that John L. Smith used to know what he was doing. The article quotes an English Professor and other students worrying about the same thing we’ve talked about at this site: the athletic/academic balance-

“It is a little frustrating that when that side seems to be thriving, we on the other side are so dependent on the state and are dealing with cutbacks. I’d love it if the academics side could go to the athletics side, just once, and shake them and get some of that money.”

Others on campus point out that the construction boom has left some campus buildings behind. Last October, mold spores were found in one of the dorms, Miller Hall.

“You’ve got all this construction money going to athletics,” said Rae Hodge, a recent editor of the student newspaper, The Louisville Cardinal. “But the mold condition was so bad students had to move out.”

Especially in a time of growing concern over “bundling” and affordability for sports and cable packaging, it’s easy to realize that the network will become less about “journalism” and more about “propaganda”… although, the “E” does stand for “Entertainment”. So, as we get excited for yet another amazing college football season, let’s remember that what we see and talk about may not always be the “real” story.

Ok. On Wednesday, the Johnny Manziel “situation” was concluded with the NCAA and A&M agreeing that a suspension of the Heisman winning quarterback for the entirety and totality of the first half of the game against Rice would be sufficient punishment for his alleged transgressions.

While there was report after report after report after report that Mr. Manziel signed numerous autographs in multiple sessions for thousands of dollars in remuneration, the NCAA ultimately could not “prove” that he had received any compensation, and instead found him responsible for violatating the “spirit” of BiLaw 12.5.2.2.

Here’s the official statement. My favorite part is where the NCAA said that it was an “inadvertent violation”. I guess “inadvertent” means multiple times on multiple dates… I think I can incorporate that into my own life. “Well, Doc, I’ve inadvertently eaten my weight in pie over the past month. Whoopsie.”

Read the statement again- there are a couple of interesting things there. First, the NCAA hedges its language a bit, saying that the decision is “based on currently available information and statements by Manziel” and “If additional information comes to light, the NCAA will review and consider if further action is appropriate.” So, while this part of it may be over, I wonder if the folks who broke the story will continue to dig the way that they did when things were falling apart in Columbus.

Sooper Genius

Oh wait, ESPN broke the story. And they make money from televising SEC/aTm football. I’m sure that won’t have an impact <whistles while re-reading earlier ESPN section of SBP>.

Second, the half game suspension happened because “there is no evidence that quarterback Johnny Manziel received money in exchange for autographs”. Whew. If Devier Posey got five games for a little over $3, I’m sure glad that Manziel had nothing to hide.

What questions did the NCAA ask Manziel during the 6 hour interview, and what evidence did they have? While I don’t want to be cynical enough to believe that the Manziel family’s comments about Johnny signing lots of things for friends that were made in the ESPN piece that happened before the investigation came to light were merely cover given that they were probably aware that this situation might be headed for the media, I’d still like to know what Manziel’s answer to the following question was- “When you signed multiple items several times for persons who were working to certify them, what did you think those persons would do with those items?”

Does race/privilege play any role in this situation? A friend of mine sent me the following picture once this all hit the fan:

I don’t know who to credit this for, but will certainly do so if properly informed.

My thinking on the above statement is as follows: When Manziel first started his “summer of wonder” (Mardi Gras, NBA playoffs, Concerts, Etc.), many folks were quick to rationalize that these things were being paid for by his parents; that he could afford these opportunities without having to (improperly) benefit from his celebrity.

Another common thought regarding Wednesday’s news was that the NCAA felt pressured/intimidated by the Manziel’s legal team- it was noted weeks ago that the family had “lawyered up” for this moment. Does privilege create inequity in the ability to prepare or pressure in these types of situations?

While the tide of common opinion seems to have completely turned on the NCAA… why has Manziel become the poster boy for this rebellion? Is it because “we” can connect with what “he” represents… because he looks like “us”?

Again, I don’t have answers and will admit that I may be influenced in my thinking by the date in history… but if I’m not the only one asking this (and yes, I realize that agreeing with Clay Travis makes me a person of questionable intelligence), perhaps it’s something that should be considered.

Does Mike Slive have naked pictures of Mark Emmert? Seriously, there’s got to be a reason that SEC investigations result in wrist slaps, while everyone else gets hit hard. Missing from that picture above? Cam Newton.

Is it stupid to cooperate with the NCAA? For Ohio State fans, the decision was more than frustrating. I think former Buckeye Mike Adams’ take on things summed it up nicely:

A major difference between the Ohio State situation and that of Maziel- Ohio State discovered the transgressions during an internal audit, self reported to the NCAA, and then bent over backwards to give as much “cooperation” as they could. While that “cooperation” helped them avoid the “lack of institutional control” tag, you’ve got to wonder if it was worth it.

I’ve seen a number of college football fans make statements to that extent; that it’s smarter to just deny and deny and make the NCAA prove that something was amiss, then to fight the process throughout. “That’s what everyone else is doing”, they seem to say… but is that right.

Given that these types of situations are going to continue to be nightmares for college sports until the NCAA finds a way to subpoena outside parties and given that “cooperation” only seems to end up backfiring on the schools that choose to do it, I’m interested in your thoughts on this: Should schools continue to self monitor and self report as aggressively as some of them do?

Please comment below… I’ll hang up and listen.

So, with college football now upon us, we can finally get past the on field drama and play the games with the “students” who matter, right? At a surface level this is true, but I’m not yet convinced that we’ve heard the last of the Manziel/Autograph story this season.

Even if we never hear about it on the ESECPN again.

College Football Resources

This week, ne of tBBC Staff Email Discussions that managed to stay on topic today concerned the things we use for statistics and coverage outside of the “mainstream”, and things that shape our opinion. So, here’s what we’ve got thus far-

]]>http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/eight-is-enough-for-silver-bullet-points.html/feed3tBBC Kickoff Countdown Celebrates 6http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/tbbc-kickoff-countdown-celebrates-6.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tbbc-kickoff-countdown-celebrates-6
http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/tbbc-kickoff-countdown-celebrates-6.html#commentsSun, 25 Aug 2013 12:00:55 +0000http://www.thebuckeyebattlecry.com/?p=35658In today’s edition, we celebrate number 6, the Ohio State’s margin of victory over Penn State on October 26th, 2002, 13-7. The Buckeyes moved to 9-0 on the season by edging the Nittany Lions in a defensive stalemate. Some of the offensive woes could be attributed to Maurice Clarett being injured in the 1st quarter, […]

In today’s edition, we celebrate number 6, the Ohio State’s margin of victory over Penn State on October 26th, 2002, 13-7.

The Buckeyes moved to 9-0 on the season by edging the Nittany Lions in a defensive stalemate. Some of the offensive woes could be attributed to Maurice Clarett being injured in the 1st quarter, necessitating Ross/Hall to run the tailback position. Ohio State survived four turnovers (2 fumbles, 2 interceptions) while Penn State did not survive three interceptions. Despite the fact that Penn State had a 1st quarter 80 yard TD drive, this game was won on the shoulders of Ohio State’s defense and special teams. Will Smith intercepted a pass at the PSU 32 to set up a short Mike Nugent FG to pull the Buckeyes to within 7-3.

Less than two minutes into the 3rd quarter, Chris Gamble made OSU’s 3rd interception of the game and returned it 39 yards for a TD, of course. Later in the period, Nugent capped one of Ohio State’s few sustained drives with a 37 yard FG to seal the deal.

In addition to providing the scoring fireworks for OSU, Gamble had the distinction to be the first two-way starter in nearly 40 years for the Buckeyes.

]]>http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/tbbc-kickoff-countdown-celebrates-6.html/feed0Former Buckeyes and Their Apologieshttp://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/former-buckeyes-and-their-apologies.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=former-buckeyes-and-their-apologies
http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/former-buckeyes-and-their-apologies.html#commentsTue, 13 Aug 2013 17:03:04 +0000http://www.thebuckeyebattlecry.com/?p=36391The idea of this article came to me this past weekend as I was trying to keep up with my timeline on Twitter. There were obviously a ton of former Buckeyes playing in preseason NFL games and the tweets that were the most intriguing to me were the ones in support of Terrelle Pryor. Bear […]

The idea of this article came to me this past weekend as I was trying to keep up with my timeline on Twitter. There were obviously a ton of former Buckeyes playing in preseason NFL games and the tweets that were the most intriguing to me were the ones in support of Terrelle Pryor. Bear in mind, if you will, that I am not on the fence when it comes to TP and how he should be viewed by Buckeye Nation. I am also not writing this to convince you of my position on the matter.

What we are here to do is to look back over the years and try and figure out exactly what it is that Buckeye Nation expects out of a former player who caused problems for the program due to their selfish actions. Before I introduce the primary three that have done so, let’s talk briefly about one who did after he was gone. A few of my comrades wanted me to touch on it so I will.

You can get the gist of Art Schlicter’s whole story from Wikipedia (Thank you Eric). From my perspective, his problem was always there, but Woody Hayes was able to keep him focused on football. Woody probably believed that he fixed Art, which in fact, he only slowed down the inevitable. When Woody passed, he probably did so with a broken heart.

Tough as nails, this was Art’s heyday.

Art has a serious disease that has ruined his lives and literally hundreds who have come in contact with him. In the way that this article is meant to discuss those Buckeyes apologies to their former fans, he will have to apologize to more than just those former fans. He will have to make restitution and seek forgiveness of a different type for the life he has led. Art was my next favorite after Archie Griffin and really got me into Ohio State football. I wish him well and hope he overcomes his terrible addiction.

This is a topic that I have taken pretty good links to allow interweb friends to say their two-cents worth about the three former players we’re discussing, and allow them to be anonymous. As I look back to Cris Carter’s HOF speach, I realize that he waited a loooooooong time to apologize. And he was forgiven across twitter and FB like nobodies business.

This is where the conundrum really starts for me. People forget quickly what TP was a part of, most really do not care about the path that Maurice has been on, and how many people really were waiting for an apology from CC? I for one was waiting for CC’s apology. He broke my heart back in 1987. Others? They just mostly care that you’re once a Buckeye, always a Buckeye.

Here are my friends thought’s around these three players and my thoughts around their redemption with Buckeye Nation.

Sorry Mr. Smith. THIS is the greatest catch ever in Scarlet and Gray

Cris Carter

“All he does is catch touchdowns…”

“An excellent player who has long since been forgiven by Buckeye Nation.”

“Has been forgiven. “

“Unbelievable talent that opened up his heart to Buckeye Nation for forgiveness!”

“realizes his family had been here all along “

” under-appreciated”

“made the hard catches look easy”

I have already said what Cris mistake did to me. I am sure that everyone knows the story by now and that is the reason he apologized to Buckeye Nation. When it happened, I was in the Navy, and fully expected to cheer them on underway. When I heard about CC being suspended for the whole season for signing with an agent it devastated me.

First, I became more and more a fan of the team because of him and what he did on the field. He also played for one of the better coaches in Ohio State history and not for his success, but for what he meant to those players. Coach Bruce said last weekend that CC’s suspension could have been short but the university president at the time said he was done. As fate would have it, the Buckeyes had one of their worst seasons and coach was fired the week before TTUN, all because they didn’t have the best player in the country.

To be Perfectly honest, i have not been waiting 26 years for him to apologize to Buckeye Nation. It devastated me then and has been in the back of my mind and probably prevented me from being a big fan of him in the NFL. That is over now and it felt good to hear him say those words. The fact that he was in tears when he said it, told me he has had a tremendous weight lifted from his shoulders. Rest easy CC, Buckeye Nation has your back.

Maurice sent a message this day, loud and clear

Maurice Clarett

“Working toward redemption…”

“I wish his episode of stupidity had waited a few seasons, but I’m glad he’s getting back on his feet.”

“No doubt cost tOSU back to back national titles”

“Absolute stud that has learned from mistakes.”

“misguided youth, a product of his environment”

” not a true Buckeye. ”

“Very talented, needed more guidance. Making efforts to seek redemption”

Maurice became everyone’s favorite when he took over that team on it’s National Title run in 2002. For the most part, there weren’t any indications that there would be trouble in paradise. One of his closest friends passed away close to the title game and he wasn’t allowed to go home an attend the funeral. This was the moment I first started having some worries.

As fate would have it, he was suspended for the 2003 season and effectively cost the Buckeyes back-to-back titles. I mean lets be honest, he was quite possibly destined to become the best to ever carry the football in Scarlet and Gray. I’ve used the words fate and destined already and it was pretty clear, after the fact, those things were never going to happen. He had his own intentions and they didn’t really include the success of Ohio State football.

Fast forward to today. Maurice has apologized over and over for his mistakes and has spent all of his time since getting out of prison seeking redemption. He spent the biggest part of last year working with Roy Hall and his DRIVEN Foundation at various event’s and has even written a book that can be purchased here.

He has been involved with the development of his own website and it continues to grow. He really has one mission now and it is to do whatever he can to help prevent other young rising stars from making the same mistakes he did. I have had an opportunity to spend some quality time with him and have to say I have really enjoyed getting to know him as the man he has become. Future is bright for him and he has earned his spot back where he belongs, with Buckeye Nation.

Wonder if things would have been different if he hadn’t beaten out #17 his first year

Terrelle Pryor

“Phenomenal athlete, had/has some significant maturing to do”

“Lets talk about him again in a couple years.”

“Took Buckeye nation for granted. “

“One of the ones that put this University in one of its Darkest Times and doesn’t seem to care!”

“needs a few doses of Maturity, leadership and accountability to reach his full potential”

” not a true Buckeye. “

” Probably just as immature as he was talented. Hoping for the best”

The whole point behind this entire article is to voice an opinion around what people really care about. I would honestly say it is probably about a 50/50 split when it comes to those who have disowned TP and those who don’t really care what he did. I mean we survived the Tat5 scandal, right? Or did we really.

As much as people want to believe he was caught up in some kinda scheme led by someone else, I do not. As I said before, I am not on the fence when it comes to Terrell Pryor. I believe he was the ring leader of everything bad that was happening and that JT threw himself on the sword to protect him. They will always be close because for the most part, Coach Tressel will refuse to believe TP could have done anything like that.

I believe that the biggest indicator that he knew what he was doing and only had himself in mind is the fact that one of his best friends stuck around. Jordan Hall has accepted what happened and has continued to work for the sake of the team. TP only cared about himself and it showed when he fled, and refused to talk because he knew that if he told the truth it would be bad.

Which side of the fence are you?

The Fence

Where are you in regards to former Buckeyes who almost took down the program for selfish reasons?

Most people try to be safe and stay on the fence. I hate being on the fence because it means I either do not have enough information to be on either side, or I just simply don’t care. I for one am in the place I want to be. I am on the side of the fence that likes to hold people accountable for their actions, celebrity or not. I won’t simply jump on the fan list because they played at Ohio State. There are several former Buckeyes that I do not like because they were selfish and those I don’t like because they just weren’t good people.

As fans, don’t we have to draw the line somewhere? Don’t we have to take a stand and demand an apology from the people that we probably spend the most money to watch play? Think about it if it was simply someone at your place of business who got the company in trouble and cost you your job? Would you forgive them if they got hired at some huge fortune 500 company and made out?

I would really like your thoughts on this issue and encourage you to comment.

]]>http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/tbbc-kickoff-countdown-celebrates-32.html/feed0Silver Bullet Points Has Been To The Mountain Tophttp://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/silver-bullet-points-has-been-to-the-mountain-top.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=silver-bullet-points-has-been-to-the-mountain-top
http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/silver-bullet-points-has-been-to-the-mountain-top.html#commentsWed, 03 Jul 2013 11:54:45 +0000http://www.thebuckeyebattlecry.com/?p=34770If you’re following us on the book of face, you know that I made it back from my trip to Mt. Whitney last week- when you’d usually be reading SBP, I was at 14,508 ft, as the picture to the right can attest. It’s Buckeye Nation everywhere, people. To celebrate, today’s soundtrack is a personal […]

]]>If you’re following us on the book of face, you know that I made it back from my trip to Mt. Whitney last week- when you’d usually be reading SBP, I was at 14,508 ft, as the picture to the right can attest. It’s Buckeye Nation everywhere, people.

Hah-vahd Man- Tuesday evening we were informed that Ohio State linebacker Luke Roberts would be transferring from Columbus to attend… get this… Harvard. Not exactly running kids off to Southern Alabama, is it Nicholas? Luke, from what we are told, leaves the program on great terms and with the coaches’ blessing, although this continues to raise issues for the Buckeyes at linebacker depth for the coming season.

Plus One- While not directly related, Tuesday we also were given word that Ohio State had added another “preferred walk on” for the 2013 class- Cincinnati Elder’s Joe “Could My Last Name Be Cooler” Ramstetter is a wide receiver who had initially signed with Dayton to play baseball. the 6’3″, 200 pound receiver had had 51 receptions for 1,005 yards and 15 scores during his senior season.

Speaking Of N00bs- If you’ve been paying attention to twitter over the past weekend, you know that Ohio State was well represented at Nike’s “The Opening”; having 9 well dressed members of the 2014 class participate in this “invite only” event. Newest Buckeye Terry McLaurin represented amazingly well, and was this close to winning Mike Mitchell’s SPARQ trophy. The quarterback and linemen competitions were Wednesday, with the 7-7 challenge beginning as well.

The national media seems to have been in agreement that the Ducks got off lightly, particularly given that there was no post-season ban applied. Also, if you’re Chip Kelly, you get to continue to work with no impact on your job- or, as I like to call it, the “Pete Carroll/Tim Floyd” option.

Why are you angry? You didn’t get plucked…

If you’re an Ohio State fan, you’ve got some other thoughts running through your head: Why didn’t Kelly have to sit 5 games like Tressel did in the NFL? Why didn’t Oregon have to forfeit any games? Why no post season ban? Granted, we’re looking at this through scarlet covered lenses, but when you assess it economically ($16,400 for tattoos and discounts for selling personal property against NCAA regulations and for improper payment for summer employment, as well as failure to report/monitor this activity -versus- $25,000 check approved by the head coach for essentially delivery of high profile recruits), it certainly seems unfair.

As I mentioned earlier in the week, I’m at ground zero here and have had this conversation a number of times. Here’s my thoughts on both the comparisons with OSU and the overall NCAA response, including what it might mean for Duck fans.

First, OSU “cooperated” with the NCAA, including digging deep and rooting out a number of other problems (like the employment issues). That’s not to say that Oregon didn’t have those problems, or didn’t cooperate- but they certainly didn’t hand them over on a silver platter. Was that the best way to deal with it? Let me ask it another way… Is it important to do what’s right or only what keeps you out of trouble? My guess is that Ohio State always wants to be on the side of the first option… whatever that might bring.

Second, the fact that OSU fell under “repeat offender” status, and that there were multiple issues here (non-reporting, merchandise transactions, employment issues) upped the ante for the NCAA. Add to this the fact that the players involved were allowed to play in a bowl game that they should have been ineligible for, and last year’s post- season ban makes sense. As for the Tressel/Pryor suspension by the NFL while Kelly continues to work…. well, I’ve never pretended to understand what Roger Goodell is thinking.

Another factor that I believe “lessened” the response that Oregon got was the current zeitgeist of the NCAA. When Ohio State’s situation came to light, Mark Emmert had just begun his tenure as NCAA President and was “getting serious” about “cracking down” on scandals. OSU, then, became the poster boy (along with Southern Cal) for the Association reigning in programs that had become “too big for their britches” under the previous administration.

A final reason that these sanctions were different, from my perspective, is one that Duck fans aren’t going to like to hear: You’re not that significant yet. Look at it this way- When Ohio State and Southern Cal were under investigation, it was daily news at a national level. Hell, we’re still at the point where no one can talk about Jim Tressel without reminding everyone that he forgot to forward emails.

To make matters worse, every media outlet in the country was sharpening their knives in Columbus- ESPN, CBS, Yahoo!, Sports Illustrated… and local media like the Columbus Dispatch (cars, anyone?) and the Cleveland Plain Dealer added their two cents into the matter, in addition to the comedy stylings of Central Ohio Television “journalism”.

How much attention did this situation with Will Lyles receive? Who was digging around behind the scenes in this matter? Perhaps it’s due to there being nothing else to make of the situation or perhaps it’s due (as some tin foil hat wearing folks believe) to Phil Knight’s money… but I honestly think that it’s not a huge story because the Ducks are not yet a national football power.

Another way to look at it- when the sanctions occurred, there was about four days coverage and response. While that might be a good thing for the folks in Eugene, I think it also speaks volumes about the way that Team Nike is marginalized in the minds of most fans. You’re in the same category as Mississippi State and Central Florida- you broke some rules, got slapped on the wrist, and now we don’t care anymore.

And that’s a shame, on several levels. First, I believe that Oregon has built a solid program and tradition (more on this a bit later), and is one of the “elite” in the current landscape.

Second, I also believe that what happened with Lyles is something bigger than we’re giving it the attention that it deserves- the “street agent” phenomenon has ruined college basketball and is getting close to doing the same for college football. This type of thing needs to be a bigger story, be it at Oregon, Clemson, Texas, or Ohio State.

But finally, I think this point goes to highlight what many of us believe about the NCAA’s broken promises to it’s members. It’s obvious that, in looking at Oregon, South Carolina, LSU, Penn State, Ohio State, Southern Cal, and others, the amount of “noise” influences the Committee On Infraction’s response. And the fact that this guiding body of administrators can be so easily swayed has got to be a concern for anyone who cares about integrity for college athletics.

Across The NCAA

Speaking Of Team Nike- There was an interesting article this week about Oregon’s new football facilities and the funding which supported them. It’s a great outlay of cash, and continues to evidence Phil Knight’s investment in his alma mater. That being said, it’s important to remember that this is all happening at a school which continues to rely on student fees to support the athletic department, which has state tax dollars that are used for sport development and growth, and which is raising tuition and cutting degree programs in order to reflect the budgetary concerns in Salem. At some point, we’ll revisit this as a part of our “the purpose of college athletics” series, but for now we’ll just categorize it as carts and horses.

For The Sake Of Argument- If Ohio State is undefeated or has one loss, and yet misses the national championship game, will it be because of the SEC? Specifically, because Vanderbilt chickened out of their game this year and lessened OSU’s apparent strength of schedule?

AndFinally- The only thing worse than vacation pictures are someone else’s vacation pictures. Feel free to google something more entertaining if this ain’t your cup of tea.

Just a couple of shots from my adventure last week:

After a hearty, “Ron Swanson” type breakfast (yup, that’s a full sized water bottle next to the pancake)

I headed up the trail, passing through a gorgeous mountain meadow or two

Hiking right past “Mirror Lake” (wasn’t The Game week, or I would have jumped in)

Found my home away from home for the rest of the day, and tried to beat the heat/get some rest

I left for the summit well before dawn (this is sunrise over the Eastern Sierras, as I’m halfway up the trail)

And found myself on top of the country in what seemed like no time at all.

]]>http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/silver-bullet-points-has-been-to-the-mountain-top.html/feed0Major Award: tBBC Bracket Challengehttp://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/admin/major-award-tbbc-bracket-challenge.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=major-award-tbbc-bracket-challenge
http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/admin/major-award-tbbc-bracket-challenge.html#commentsTue, 09 Apr 2013 12:03:51 +0000http://www.thebuckeyebattlecry.com/?p=33149A great game on Monday night led to a great result- Michigan didn’t win. I’m sure that was as exciting for you as it was for Rick Pitino, right? Congratulations to the Louisville Cardinals on their season, and to Columbus’ Trey Burke on his college career. Thanks, too, for deciding to go pro so I […]

]]>A great game on Monday night led to a great result- Michigan didn’t win. I’m sure that was as exciting for you as it was for Rick Pitino, right?

Congratulations to the Louisville Cardinals on their season, and to Columbus’ Trey Burke on his college career. Thanks, too, for deciding to go pro so I can actually enjoy your talent without being sick to my stomach.

Closer to home, the BBC Bracket Challenge has a winner… artist extraordinaire, Kevin Dearth, whos “RIP Homer” entry won by one point over two other challengers. The neat thing about this entry- it’s named in honor of his step father, a Louisville fan who passed away earlier this year.

]]>http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/admin/major-award-tbbc-bracket-challenge.html/feed4Monday Musingshttp://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/admin/miscellaneous/monday-musings-5.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=monday-musings-5
http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/admin/miscellaneous/monday-musings-5.html#commentsMon, 01 Apr 2013 12:03:46 +0000http://www.thebuckeyebattlecry.com/?p=32878Some weekend, eh? Grab your coffee and let’s get right to it. Men’s Basketball A week that started out fairly well, then crashed and burned. In the NCAA’s, they’ve managed to dust Iowa State 78-75, Arizona 73-70 and then fell flat against Wichita State 66-70. I don’t have much to add to the fine recaps, above, however […]

A week that started out fairly well, then crashed and burned. In the NCAA’s, they’ve managed to dust Iowa State 78-75, Arizona 73-70 and then fell flat against Wichita State 66-70. I don’t have much to add to the fine recaps, above, however you can bet that after some musing on my part, I’ll have something to say next week. It seemed that Thad was pushing the right buttons and the team responded in the first two games. On Saturday, things were pretty disjointed. I’d hoped the 2nd half effort against Arizona would carry into the WSU game, but alas, no. Although the offense gott significant points from senior junior DeShaun Thomas and LQR, that was it, unfortunately.

General Thoughts

I hate to do this, but let’s start with a definition: to dislike intensely or passionately; feel extreme aversion for or extreme hostility toward; detest: to hate the enemy.

Yes, that’s a definition of “hatred”. Jason’s article last Wednesday raised an interesting point. You need to scroll almost to the bottom of the article, the text that’s across from the Tom Crean/Dwight Schrute transposition; go ahead, I’ll wait. In the article and comments, there was some discussion about ‘hating on’ former players Maurice Clarett and Terrell Pryor. We can also probably add Aaron Craft on someone’s list of ‘Players you love to hate” and for today we’ll also include LeBron James.

Let me speculate on the ‘why’ of these ‘hating on’ feelings. For Clarett and Pryor, it was youthful indiscretion on their parts that ultimately created a negative impression of themselves and the Ohio State football program. I’m guessing the vitriol was directed at these young men more for the latter. Even though we’re coming off the Easter weekend, this isn’t a “those without sin cast the first stone” sentiment; it’s an acknowledgement that people in their late teens-early twenties don’t always make sound decisions. Regarding the Pryor situation, trading bling for tats is hardly the most egregious activity in college sports.

On to the basketball examples; for the like of me, I can’t imagine why Craft evokes the emotional responses that he does. Actually, I can. It’s his hard-nosed, tenacious style of play. I’m pretty sure that if Aaron Craft were on ‘their’ team, those detractors would have a change of tune. Which brings me to LeBron James. Favored Native Son and Savior of the Cavaliers created quite the uproar and invectiveness when he signed with the Miami Heat. The only aspect that disappointed me was the circus atmosphere of The Announcement. That and the churlish reaction of the Cavs owner.

So for three of the examples, the sin seemed to have been making a decision that impacted an Ohio sports program. Anything worth getting exercised about? Not really.

Women’s Golf

The Ohio State women’s golf team had no matches last week. Looking ahead, the Buckeyes will travel to Dallas for the SMU/Dallas Athletic Club Invitational April 5th and 6th.

Technology -2; Me -0

I sat down Friday to enjoy the replay of the OSU-UA game that I’d DVR’d. It went well until the game came down to OSU’s last possession. With Aaron Craft bring the ball down the floor, the recording ended, so I missed Ross‘ game-winner. So, the DVD failure is in addition to me being Twitterless.

]]>http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/admin/miscellaneous/monday-musings-5.html/feed2Silver Bullet Points Lays It On The Linehttp://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/silver-bullet-points.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=silver-bullet-points
http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/silver-bullet-points.html#commentsWed, 13 Mar 2013 11:54:19 +0000http://www.thebuckeyebattlecry.com/?p=32048It’s championship week here at tBBC, and we’ll have all your B1G Tournament coverage coming up until the Buckeyes cut down the nets. So, it only makes sense, then, to have our soundtrack for today be the latest from OSU alum and friend of the site Mekka Don, who’s scored an exclusive deal to provide […]

]]>It’s championship week here at tBBC, and we’ll have all your B1G Tournament coverage coming up until the Buckeyes cut down the nets. So, it only makes sense, then, to have our soundtrack for today be the latest from OSU alum and friend of the site Mekka Don, who’s scored an exclusive deal to provide music for their coverage. From the press release:

The intersection of music and sports is prominently on display during high profile sporting events. Almost every sports arena has a DJ; players submit playlists to be played during warmups; and networks license music to help create excitement for their broadcasting. Mekka Don, an independent hip-hop artist and former NCAA athlete (Ohio State football), has inked a multi-song licensing deal with the Big Ten Network to provide music for the upcoming Big Ten Tournament games and coverage. The Big Ten Tournament begins on March 14th on the Big Ten Network.

And here, in an exclusive for tBBC readers, is the the title track for tournament time:

That Happened- And we’ll talk about it in today’s commentary. But first, some better updates.

Heacock is going WHERE?

Welcome Back? Rumors have been swirling all week that former Buckeye Defensive Coordinator Jim Heacock would be returning to the WHAC in a “quality control” capacity; huge tip, it seems, to Nevadabuck from the Scout site for dropping the knowledge first. The position would be similar to what a number of schools (most specifically Alabama) are doing in expanding their staff, and you’ve got to think that it will not only strengthen the Silver Bullets but also maintain the relationships that Heacock had with area high school coaches. In addition, it provides a fallback of sorts should the defensive staff lose a member to another opportunity.

The Ping Of The Bat- What are you doing Friday, before the Buckeyes tip off in the B1G Tourney? Might as well head over to Bill Davis Stadium for the Scarlet and Gray’s Home Opener. Ah, spring…

Major Awards- Well, Monday was Awards Day for the B1G Hoopsters, and Deshaun Thomas made all-conference for both the media and the coaches polled. Aaron Craft was first team for the media, but not the coaches- who chose instead Tim Hardaway Junior, much to the surprise of even a few Michigan fans. Coach Of The Year went to the coach of the fifth place team in the conference, the one that’s currently not ranked in the top 20. While Bo Ryan certainly did a lot with not much, it does kinda’ seem like recruiting is in his job description… so, yeah. Ah well, Jim Tressel could tell you that the B1GCotY award has never been about excellence, right?

Once A Buckeye, Part Two- It has been an interesting couple of days for Buckeyes in NFL: First, Chris Gamble retires rather than trying his luck in a pretty saturated free agent cornerback market. Then, Antoine Winfield was released by the Vikings after failing to come to terms about a restructure of his contract. Santonio Holmes and Will Smith were able to get their money situations worked out so they could stay with the Jets/Saints respectively, but Arizona decided to release Beanie Wells. The good (?) news is that he’s already been visiting with Cincinnati’s Bengals, where he’d join Mike Nugent, who received a contract extension this week.

Commentary-Due Process

Ok, let’s dive right in. Tuesday afternoon, ABC6 ran a story online and as a part of their evening broadcast indicating that three members of the Ohio State football team were being investigated for their participation in a rape/sexual assault. The members were identified as freshmen who met the complainant at a party- her story is that a consensual interaction with one student became a non-consensual interaction with another student; the respondent’s account is significantly different, according to the report.

At any rate, it’s important to remember that this is an investigation, and no arrests have been made as of yet. The timing is interesting to be aware of as well- the report cited by ABC6 indicated that the complaint was filed in early March, although the narrative said that the complainant came forward in November. Again, purely speculative, but that could indicate that the November report was made to the University and has since been investigated; sexual assault requires a 60 day timeline for investigation as per Federal Title IX guidelines. It could also mean that the University was outside of this timeline; however, given the emphasis that the entire University has places on compliance recently this seems unlikely.

This discrepancy in the timing of the reports could also (again, emphasis on could) indicate that the complainant was just now seeking legal action, as it is within her rights to do. The article from the Dispatch linked above indicated that there was a possibility of off-field issues leading to the player’s decision to leave the University- it may be that the complainant was choosing to pursue criminal charges since the respondent was beyond the ability for the University to act.

Again- it’s all speculation at this point, which is what the Internet does best. The University is not legally able to respond, and the persons in question will be advised to not talk further. It’s why I really appreciated Lori Schmidt’s tweet earlier- highlighted that it was an “investigation” that “may” involve OSU student athletes… nothing certain, only the facts as they were known.

For another take on the matter, Hayden Grove over at Buckeye Empire approached this story from the perspective of a bystander of sorts- a fellow student at Ohio State. It’s a good read, and pretty well balanced, and also indicates something that I’ve been struck by as this developed on Tuesday. After the “Oh… sh*t” that ran through the twitter and intertrons, most Ohio State fans that I am aware of chose to not deny the situation’s ugliness, blame the complainant, vilify the persons involved, or make other statements that would not be indicative of both the seriousness of these potential allegations and the possible tragedy that this situation represent.

There were some outliers, sure, and this might change over the coming days as OSU fans start responding to the comments from “outsiders”, but for the most part it sounded as if the main concern was “justice” for everyone involved, whatever that may look like.

I wonder, though, if we’re as conscientious about waiting to find out the truth when 18-22 year olds who attend other Universities are involved. I can admit that schadenfreude is a pretty powerful emotion- heck, I’m at the point now where I don’t even have to look up how to spell it anymore. We’d all like to be given the benefit of the doubt and have that extended to the things we care about, while too often failing to do the same in similar circumstances.

In the “real world”, I’m both honored and heartbroken to be a person who is involved in investigating these types of issues on college campuses; both to support the survivors and to hold persons found responsible accountable for their actions. Interestingly enough, I spent two days last week with a national expert on just this type of issue- I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen lives impacted by moments of not clear thinking, or thinking that was impaired somewhat.

So, as this moves forward, my thoughts are not on football. They are with the young people involved and their families and friends, even those that are not a part of the Ohio State community for whatever reason. And I hope OSU fans will join me there- both for the persons impacted by this situation and for the others as they occur across the nation, no matter the color of the jersey or helmet.

Contested Results- Sure, we’ll have a March Madness Competition this year… be on the lookout a bit later in the week.

Around The NCAA

Speaking Of Scandal- Friday’s twitter eruption that the sky was falling in Austin has mostly fizzled away, but it will be interesting to see if there are any residual impacts of some of the allegations. For the best (well, at least the most hilarious) overview, we wholeheartedly recommend this thread over at Shaggy Bevo; the tl/dr version is that there are rumors of sexual impropriety throughout the athletic department- we know that a women’s track coach and a current football coach have both been disciplined. Whether or not there’s more to this will only be known after ThuJone does a review in MS Paint.

Congrats, Denard! On winning the EASports ballot stuffing event contest and being selected for the cover of NCAA2014. This selection does leak some information about next year’s version of the game: there’s a September Heisman option, as well as one that let’s you quit midway through a game. A MSU site has already seen the cover that EA is going to use… and I couldn’t agree more.

]]>http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/silver-bullet-points.html/feed2Illustrating Sports With Silver Bullet Pointshttp://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/sbp-notes-4.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sbp-notes-4
http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/sbp-notes-4.html#commentsWed, 27 Feb 2013 12:54:32 +0000http://www.thebuckeyebattlecry.com/?p=31761Today’s soundtrack is brought to you by 70 degrees and sunny skies in Los Angeles. Oh, and a little bit of EW&F. Buckeye 411 Buck And Cover- That thing over there is this week’s Sports Illustrated cover, well everywhere but the southeast. I think that the expectations and so forth for this team are pretty […]

Buck And Cover- That thing over there is this week’s Sports Illustrated cover, well everywhere but the southeast. I think that the expectations and so forth for this team are pretty high…

In Case You Were Wondering- Here’s the other cover… which may explain why Braxton looks so terrified on his “Breakout” photo.

Healing Nicely- At the Combine last week, we learned that John Simon was recovering from shoulder surgery. It sounds as if it was pretty routine, if you call “requiring diamond tipped instruments to cut through his muscle tissue” routine.

Updates- From Brandon: Jordan Hall is no longer a running back, but will be a “pivot”; Christian Bryant is the emotional leader of the defense (more later); and Urban didn’t really ‘call out’ the other coaches but challenged the conference to raise it’s standards.

Gene’s Scene- We’ve talked before about the expansion landscape; Gene Smith this week said that the conferences is not looking to grow until they see how Maryland and Rutgers fit in. So- the B1G is totally annexing the entire B12 on Thursday.

This Week In Sammy Silv- Seriously, this needs to be a regular feature:

CB2

Commentary:Too Big To Fail?

Last week, our random tweeting ended up getting a response from one of the national sports media that I have a lot of respect for, ESPN’s Jay Bilas. Online he’s honest and often hilarious, and a good addition to your twitter timeline.

One Idea

Bilas’ main addition to the “conversation” on twitter, other than early morning hip-hop lyrics, is his critique of the current NCAA configuration. Like those of us here at tBBC, he’s hypercritical of the myth of amateurism and believes that the student athlete should be able to get a “cut” of the millions being made on their name and because of their performance.

One critique I have of his “take” though is that he seems to limit it only to the 140 character world of twitter- as someone who seems passionate about this issue and college athlete wellbeing, it’s a shame that he doesn’t chose to use his platform on the World Wide Leader to be more critical of the status quo; in fact, it would seem that he’s chosen instead to be OK continuing to make his living and his livelihood off of the television contract that his employer enjoys, courtesy of the current configuration of college sports. We all have choices to make in our lives.

In last week’s SBP, I wrote about how easy it was to criticize the NCAA but how challenging it really was to come up with something better. I ended with the question that Mr. Bilas responded to- Since the NCAA is broken, how do we fix it?

His response, as you can see above, is a good one and one that we’ve seen before. Do away with the NCAA, let Universities worry about the academic aspect of their institutions (and, subsequently, the teams affiliated with those), and end the myth of amateurism. He went on to say that football and basketball should have their own distinctive legislative bodies with their own commissioners.

Bilas’ ideas, while insightful, also highlight the significant challenge facing anyone who hopes to reform college sports- an idea that’s been around since well before Teddy Roosevelt got involved. However, in the years since The Old Roughrider‘s concern, things have gotten infinitely more complicated- money, power, prestige, and other aspects that the reader will call to mind are now evidences that the cart of athletics is, in many ways, before the horse of educational purpose.

Even if we were to make a move to Bilas’ suggestions, the sheer magnitude makes it unrealistic. There are close to 1300 institutions that make up the NCAA; even if only half had football, the question remains- how does one organization and one commissioner work with that many programs and teams? Basketball would be an even larger issue, as more schools participate in that sport than are able to field football programs.

Perhaps, though, Bilas is suggesting not a total dismantling of the NCAA but a “sheering off” of the top programs into either a new division or a new reality altogether. While this is something that I support, as it would help separate the financial “haves” from the “have nots” it still raises some significant questions.

First, what level of money would meet the criterion for membership- remember, there are very few programs that don’t take money from the University general budget or state funding. Second, would this arbitrary delineation also mean that some of the “border” programs would need to cut finances from other areas in order to keep up? Again, as an Ohio State fan this is not an issue that often comes to mind- we’re “the 1%” of the college football landscape.

Reality for most college athletes.

A second issue about this breakaway was asked by Charles in our conversation with Bilas- would it only be football and basketball that would break away? If so, what governance would exist for the other, non-revenue sports? Would the NCAA continue to exist? Would these programs even be able to continue, given that much of their funding comes from the newly separated teams? And, at a deeper level, what impact would this have on the federal Title IX requirements that mandate equity for men’s and women’s sports- would the necessity of this new reality lead to Ohio State having a football and basketball program for men, but only women’s sports in other fields?

Again, this is a different conversation at Ohio State and Florida than it is at places like Butler and Gonzaga- programs with a strong hoops tradition, but who would struggle to play “keep up” in a basketball alignment with the Buckeyes and Gators due to their funding. That’s the reality of sports in 2013- there are about 30-40 “power” programs in football, but perhaps twice that many in basketball. And, given that “March Madness” is often lifted up as the ultimate example of college sports parity, it’s hard to imagine basketball moving to a place where there is a split in the current configuration (since we know that small programs “belong”, and want to avoid the anti-trust stuff that we saw from Utah legislators around the BCS), but that may be a reality, given Bilas’ recommendation.

Priorities

I’m in partial agreement with Bilas’ ideas regarding letting the Universities worry about the academic matters, because I believe that this will hasten a shift away from the myth of “student athlete”. They’re not amateur athletes, and, in my opinion, are often also not students. Not that they couldn’t be, or that there aren’t some who excel in this arena, but the reality is that Cardale Jones was right- many “didn’t come here to play school”, and would be glad to be involved in a true “minor league” opportunity if that was available. At some point, it’s easy to imagine Universities just throwing their hands up and putting together such a laughable academic set of requirements for admission and eligibility that it ends up being pointless… and we move to a different ideal.

I’ve often wondered about the possibility of having the “Affiliation” between the program the the University being loose, at best. What if the Buckeyes rented their connection with Ohio State- using revenue from TV, licensing, ticket sales, etc. to fund the program, including a “fee” paid back to the athletic department for the use of facilities (the ‘Shoe, the WHAC) and the name “Ohio State”? This fee could be monetary (to fund other sports) or could be a scholarship exchange program for athletic participants. This latter would be somewhat similar to what we currently have- in exchange for being connected to the University, the program would be able to offer scholarships to participants who were interested in pursuing a degree, whenever they felt like doing so (after their athletic careers, perhaps?).

Again, I’m still wrestling with this, but am continually realizing that the issue cannot be resolved simply by “killing the NCAA”. Without some very creative and mindful thinking, such a move would impact a lot more than is currently at the surface of the conversation- from the non-revenue sports to the athletic departments who try their best to provide opportunities at the smaller levels where they reside.